System and method for receiving information among computer systems without enabling log ins if the user identifiers are compromised

ABSTRACT

A system and method allows a matching system to mediate requests for information among different computer systems without storing information that can be used to log into those computer systems.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/200,601 entitled. “System and Method for Receiving Information AmongComputer Systems Without Enabling Log Ins if the User Identifiers areCompromised” filed by William Page on Nov. 26, 2018, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/686,704 entitled.“System and Method for Receiving Information Among Computer SystemsWithout Enabling Log Ins if the User Identifiers are Compromised” filedby William Page on Nov. 27, 2012, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/563,814 entitled, “Method andApparatus for Receiving Information Among Computer Systems WithoutEnabling Log Ins if the User Identifiers are Compromised” filed on Nov.27, 2011 by William Page, each application having the same assignee asthe present invention and each application hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to computer software and morespecifically to computer software for requesting information amongaccounts on different computer systems without enabling a party stealingaccount information to log in.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Computer systems may be operated by entities that are independent fromone another. Independent entities are those in which one entity does notcontrol the other and vice versa.

In certain applications, the computer system of one entity may requireinformation from an account at the computer system of a differententity. This may occur if a user has accounts on multiple computersystems and one computer system will consolidate data from othercomputer systems that provide the data, or one computer system has amore desirable user interface and feature set than the computer systemholding the data, and so it is desirable for the user to view the dataon the computer with the more desirable user interface or feature set.It would therefore be desirable to allow the information from the user'saccount on at least one first computer system to be requested andreceived by the user's account at a second computer system.

Conventional computer systems accomplish this transfer of informationamong independently operated computer systems by the user providing thelog in information for the computer system that will provide the data tothe computer system that will be retrieving it. The retrieving computersystem logs in to the providing computer system and supplies the user'suser identifier and password it received from the user and obtains thedata from the providing computer system.

However, this arrangement is suboptimal and a better way of retrievingdata could be desirable.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A system and method allows a user to register at different types ofcomputer systems: data provider systems and data consolidator systems. Adata consolidator system may consolidate data from multiple dataprovider systems or from a single data provider system. A dataconsolidator system may provide data to other data consolidator systems.At one or both types of systems, the user will provide information thatcan be used to authenticate the user via a text message, phone call ore-mail by providing a phone number or e-mail address or other similarinformation.

When a user wishes to allow a data consolidator system to retrieve datafrom the user's account or accounts at a data provider system, the dataconsolidator system issues an opaque user identifier to the user, or ifan opaque user identifier has already been issued to that user, obtainsthat opaque identifier, and the data consolidator system will cause theuser's browser to establish a connection with a matching system,described below, provide the opaque user identifier to the matchingsystem, an identifier of the data consolidator system, and an identifierof the data provider system, and request a web page that allows the userto provide the user's user identifier and password on the data providersystem to user interface elements in the web page. The user provides theuser's user identifier and password of the data provider system to theweb page and presses a submit button, in order to allow the matchingsystem to set up data retrieval from that data provider system. In oneembodiment, the user may receive a limited time use user identifierand/or password from the data provider system to supply to the matchingsystem so that the user does not have to supply his or her actual dataprovider system user identifier to the matching system.

The matching system may be an application running on a separate computersystem or on one of the data provider systems or data consolidatorsystems. In one embodiment, the data provider system may be operated byor for an entity that is independent from the entity for which the dataconsolidator system is operated, and the matching system may be operatedby or for an entity that is independent from only one or both suchentities.

An opaque user identifier is an identifier used to uniquely identify auser, though an opaque user identifier may identify an individualaccount of a user in other embodiments. An opaque user identifier is notrequired to log in natively to the system that issued it. In oneembodiment, an opaque user identifier is an identifier that can be usedto retrieve data, but cannot be used to perform other functions such assetting up accounts or initiating or authorizing transactions. Thesystem that issues an opaque user identifier could allow some functionsto be performed with the opaque user identifier but not others. Forexample, the system could enforce a rule that data may be retrievedusing an opaque user identifier, but only some or none of the otherfunctions a user could perform by logging in could be performed with anopaque user identifier.

The matching system sends a request for an opaque user identifier to thedata provider system whose identifier it receives, and includes the usersupplied user identifier and password. The data provider system mayoptionally authenticate the user by sending an out of band authorizationrequest to the user, using an address or phone number or other addressthat may be used to contact the user and receives a response from theuser. The response to the authorization request may be sent by the userdirectly to the data provider system or it may involve sending aresponse via a response page the user receives after the user pressesthe submit button.

If the user is authenticated by the data provider system, it returns anopaque user identifier to the matching system in response to therequest. If an opaque user identifier has previously been issued by thematching system for that user, that opaque user identifier is sent bythe data provider system, and otherwise, the data provider system issuesone to the user and sends the one it issues to the matching system inthe response.

The matching system associates an identifier of the data consolidatorsystem and the opaque user identifier it received from the dataconsolidator system, with the opaque user identifier it received fromthe data provider system and an identifier of the data provider system.The identifiers of the system may be issued by the matching system aspart of the registration of those systems with the matching system, andmay be referred to as channel identifiers. The matching system performsan initial, and after the initial one, an occasional, authentication ofthe other systems with which it communicates. The identifier of thedifferent systems may be made based upon the authenticated session usedto communicate.

After the steps above have been performed for a given user, the dataconsolidator system may provide a data request to the matching system,along with an identifier of the data provider system from which data isbeing requested and the opaque user identifier on the data consolidatorsystem of the user for which data is being requested. The matchingsystem looks up the opaque user identifier associated with theidentifier of the data consolidator system from which the data requestwas sent, and determines if it has associated an opaque user identifierwith such information and the data provider system in the request. Ifnot, it denies the request to the data consolidator system. If so, itforwards the opaque user identifier to the specified data providersystem and the identifier of the data consolidator system from which therequest was received.

The data provider system logs the request and returns to the matchingsystem transaction data and data regarding changes made to the user'saccounts (e.g. added an account or closed an account) made since anyprior request for data for that user was received from the same dataconsolidator system, or the data consolidator system logs the requestand sends as part of the request the date and time from the last time itsent a request for data for that user, and the data provider system willsend only the above data that it recorded since the specified date andtime. The above information is only sent for accounts to which the userhas access at the time of the request, and so the data provider systemchecks for such access before it sends the data.

If the user no longer has access to one or more accounts to which theuser formerly had access, the data for those accounts for which accessis no longer allowed will not be provided, or will not be provided as ofthe date and time access was revoked. If the user corresponding to theopaque user identifier is granted access to an account to which accesswas not allowed by that user when any prior request for that user wasreceived, the data for the account since the date and time access wasgranted to the user, or all transaction data for that account, isprovided.

The matching system forwards the transaction data and data regardingchanges to the user's accounts to the data consolidator system, whichmay display some or all of the data to the user. The user may then usesuch data to make investment decisions.

In one embodiment, the data provider system will only send the abovedata for accounts the user is authorized to view or process. If the useris no longer authorized to view or process an account, for any suchaccount, transaction data and data regarding changes to the usersaccounts will no longer be provided as part of the request, or only theinformation on or before the date and time the user was no longerauthorized to view or process such data, and only information on orafter the date and time the user became initially authorized to view orprocess such data is provided by the data provider system as describedabove.

If a thief steals the opaque user identifiers, for example, from thematching system, the data consolidator systems and the data providersystems will not allow the thief to log into the user's accounts, evenif the thief somehow obtains the passwords for those users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block schematic diagram of a conventional computer system.

FIG. 2, consisting of FIGS. 2A and 2B is a flowchart illustrating amethod of setting up data retrieval and retrieving data from onecomputer system to another computer system according to one embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of preventing anunauthorized logons using an opaque user identifier according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block schematic diagram of a system for setting up dataretrieval, retrieving data from one computer system to another computersystem and preventing unauthorized logons using an opaque useridentifier according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block schematic diagram of the system of FIG. 4 shown inmore detail according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention may be implemented as computer software on aconventional computer system. Referring now to FIG. 1, a conventionalcomputer system 150 for practicing the present invention is shown.Processor 160 retrieves and executes software instructions stored instorage 162 such as memory, which may be Random Access Memory (RAM) andmay control other components to perform the present invention. Storage162 may be used to store program instructions or data or both. Storage164, such as a computer disk drive or other nonvolatile storage, mayprovide storage of data or program instructions. In one embodiment,storage 164 provides longer term storage of instructions and data, withstorage 162 providing storage for data or instructions that may only berequired for a shorter time than that of storage 164. Input device 166such as a computer keyboard or mouse or both allows user input to thesystem 150. Output 168, such as a display or printer, allows the systemto provide information such as instructions, data or other informationto the user of the system 150. Storage input device 170 such as aconventional floppy disk drive or CD-ROM drive accepts via input 172computer program products 174 such as a conventional floppy disk orCD-ROM or other nonvolatile storage media that may be used to transportcomputer instructions or data to the system 150. Computer programproduct 174 has encoded thereon computer readable program code devices176, such as magnetic charges in the case of a floppy disk or opticalencodings in the case of a CD-ROM which are encoded as programinstructions, data or both to configure the computer system 150 tooperate as described below.

In one embodiment, each computer system 150 is a conventional SUNMICROSYSTEMS SPARC ENTERPRISE M9000 SERVER running the SOLARIS operatingsystem commercially available from ORACLE CORPORATION of Redwood Shores,Calif., a PENTIUM-compatible personal computer system such as areavailable from DELL COMPUTER CORPORATION of Round Rock, Tex. running aversion of the WINDOWS operating system (such as XP, VISTA or 7)commercially available from MICROSOFT Corporation of Redmond Wash. or aMacintosh computer system running the MACOS or OPENSTEP operating systemcommercially available from APPLE INCORPORATED of Cupertino, Calif. andthe FIREFOX browser commercially available from MOZILLA FOUNDATION ofMountain View, Calif. or INTERNET EXPLORER browser commerciallyavailable from MICROSOFT above, although other systems may be used. Eachcomputer system 150 may be a DROID 2 mobile telephone commerciallyavailable from MOTOROLA CORPORATION of Schaumberg, Ill. running theANDROID operating system commercially available from GOOGLE, INC. ofMountain View, Calif. Various computer systems may be employed, with thevarious computer systems communicating with one another via theInternet, a conventional cellular telephone network, an Ethernetnetwork, or all of these.

FIG. 2, consisting of FIGS. 2A and 2B is a flowchart illustrating amethod of consolidating data using opaque identifiers according to oneembodiment of the present invention. The data is collected from one ormore data provider systems and consolidated at a data consolidatorsystem through a matching system. There may be one or more of each typeof system, and each system is connected to one or more matching systemsthrough a network, typically an Ethernet connection or an internetconnection or both.

Users may be registered at data provider systems and data consolidatorsystems, and any number of users may be registered at any system at anytime.

User Registers at Data Provider System.

Referring now to FIG. 2A of FIG. 2, the user is registered 210 at thedata provider system. The user is registered at the data provider systemby providing a data provider (DP) user identifier, along with acorresponding DP password. The user may be registered, or have theirregistration information updated, with one or more different dataprovider systems, and the user may be registered with any data providersystem at any time. In one embodiment, the registration of the user at adata provider system is an independently operating process, as shown bythe dashed lines in the Figure. The DP user identifier and DP passwordprovided at one data provider system may or may not be identical to theuser identifier and password provided at another data provider system.

In one embodiment, information that may be used to perform anout-of-band method of authentication is also provided as part of theregistration information received by the DP system as part of step 210.The out-of-band method of authentication is a method by which the dataprovider system may verify the identity of the user at a later time. Theinformation provided by the user for such authentication may include atelephone number at which the user may receive text messages ortelephone calls, or an email address at which the user may receiveelectronic messages. The out-of-band method of authentication may be oneor more of any number of different methods of authentication.

User Opens Accounts at, Initiates Transactions at Data Provider System.

An account is opened, or a transaction is initiated, at the dataprovider system 212. If the user wishes to add an account, a new accountmay be opened for the user. If an account already exists for the user atthe data provider system, then a transaction may be initiated at thedata provider system. Transactions may be initiated by the user at anytime, or by a separate entity, such as a merchant or vendor. In oneembodiment, a transaction initiated by the user may include a balancetransfer from one user account to another user account, or it mayinclude the payment of an outstanding bill from the user account to avendor account for goods or services rendered. In one embodiment, atransaction initiated by a separate entity may be a charge to the useraccount, such as on a credit card, authorized by the user at anotherlocation, such as at a retail store. Any number of user accounts may beopened at any time, and any number of account transactions may beinitiated at any time, at any number of different data provider systems.The process of the account(s) being opened or the transaction(s) beinginitialized is an independently occurring process, as shown by thedashed line in the Figure at step 212.

User Registers at Data Consolidator System.

The user is registered 214 at a data consolidator system. The user isregistered at the data consolidator system in a manner similar to themethod of registering the user at a data provider system, as describedabove, with a data consolidator (DC) user identifier and correspondingDC password. The user may be registered at any number of dataconsolidator systems at any time, and the process of registering theuser at the data consolidator system is an independently occurringprocess, as shown by the dashed lines in the Figure.

At Data Consolidator System, User Logs in, Requests Accounts Link,Specifies Data Provider System.

The user is logged in at the data consolidator system, and a link isrequested between the user's DC account and a separate DP account at aspecified data provider system 216. The user is logged into the dataconsolidator system using a DC username and a corresponding DC passwordthat have been previously established with the user for the dataconsolidator system.

To request a link between a DC account and a DP account, link requestinformation may be provided by the user at the DC system as part of step216, and such a request is received by the DC system. The link requestinformation may include the DP user identifier for the requested data,as well as an identifier for the data provider system associated withthe requested account. The user may request any number of DP accounts tobe linked for one or more data provider systems.

In one embodiment, the DP user identifier is a limited time useidentifier issued by the data provider system that identifies the useraccount at the data provider system for a limited time and then is notrelated to the account. Such an arrangement may be used so that the userdoes not have to provide to the DP user identifier used to log in whenthe user requests the link between the DC account and the DC account.The DP user identifier is recognized by the data provider system as analternate user identifier for the account for a limited time after theuser requests it.

Data Consolidator System Identifies/Generates Opaque Identifier, SendsOpaque Identifier and Request to Matching System.

A DC opaque identifier is identified or generated for the DC useraccount, and the DC opaque identifier, along with the link requestinformation received as described above, is sent to the matching systemby the data consolidator system 218. If no DC opaque identifier has beenpreviously associated with the DC user account with which the user haslogged in, in the manner described above, then a unique DC opaqueidentifier is generated for the DC user account by data consolidator218. The generated DC opaque identifier is associated with the DC useraccount and stored at data consolidator system.

If a DC opaque identifier for the user's DC account is alreadyassociated with the DC account, then it is identified by dataconsolidator system 218.

The DC opaque identifier already associated with, or generated for, theDC account is sent by data consolidator system to the matching system218. As noted above, in one embodiment, the DC opaque identifier is sentto the matching system with the link request information received fromthe user as detailed above.

Sending the Opaque Identifier to Matching System with AuthenticationInformation.

In one embodiment, the data consolidator system sends the opaque useridentifier it generates and the identifier of the data provider systemfor which the link request is being made as part of a request for a webpage that it causes the user's browser to make to the matching system.In this embodiment, instead of requesting the user identifier for the DPsystem, the DC system causes the user's browser to spawn a new windowand send a request for a link request web page to the matching system,the request containing the above information, for example, in referrerinformation included to the right of the URL after a slash. Suchinformation may be encrypted using the public key of the matching systemfor security purposes.

The matching system receives the request, and returns a web page withsuch information as a variable, along with username and password textboxes to allow the user to provide the user's username and password forthe data provider system, either of both of which may be limited timeuse user identifier or password, received as described herein. In oneembodiment, the matching system looks up the name of the data providersystem in a table of data provider identifiers and names it maintains,and includes on the web page the name of the data provider system itlocates, and in another embodiment, such information is provided by theDC system with the request using a similar table it maintains. The userenters the user's user identifier and password for the specified dataprovider system and presses a submit button that the matching system hasincluded as part of the page. The matching system will thus receive theusername and password along with the other information included in thelink request. In the embodiment that information in the request wasencrypted, it may be decrypted by the matching system once it isreceived with the username and password.

Matching System Requests Opaque Identifier from Data Provider System.

The DP user identifier is sent to the data provider system specified bythe user, as described above, by the matching system, and acorresponding DP opaque identifier is requested from the data providersystem 220. Using the data provider system information included with thelink request information, the specified data provider system isidentified by the matching system, and the DP user identifier is sent bythe matching system to the specified data provider system as part of arequest for a DP opaque identifier.

In the embodiment in which the username and password are not requestedby the matching system as described above, the password received fromthe user is also sent to the data provider system with the request.

Data Provider System Tries to Authenticate the User.

An attempt is made to authenticate the user having the DP useridentifier received in the request by the data provider system 222.

In the embodiment in which the password and user identifier are receivedfrom the user via the matching system, the user identifier and passwordare used to authenticate the user using conventional techniques.

In another embodiment, the attempt to authenticate the user is madeusing a conventional out-of-band method of authentication using theregistration information provided earlier by the user, as describedabove. The user may provide the response out of band or may provide aresponse to the data consolidator system, which forwards the response tothe data provider system via the matching system. In one embodiment, aserial number unique to each session is added to the communications bythe data consolidator system to enable matching of communications to theproper session.

The User is not Authenticated.

Data Provider Sends Error Message to Matching System, Matching SystemSends Error Message to Data Consolidator, and Data Consolidator InformsUser.

If the user is not authenticated 224, then an error message is sent tothe matching system by data provider system 226.

If the matching system receives an error message from the data providersystem, then an error message is sent from the matching system to thedata consolidator system in response to the request 226. Consequently,the user is informed of the error by the data consolidation system.

The User is Authenticated.

Data Provider Checks for DP Opaque Identifier for User.

If the user is authenticated 224, an attempt is made to identify a DPopaque identifier associated with the received DP user identifier by theDP system that received the request 230.

No DP Opaque Identifier is Found.

Data Provider System Generates an Opaque Identifier, Links OpaqueIdentifier to User Identifier, Provides to Matching System.

If no DP opaque identifier is found to be associated with theauthenticated DP user account 232, then a unique DP opaque identifier isgenerated by the data provider system, stored in association with theauthenticated DP user identifier and provided to the matching system234.

A DP Opaque Identifier is Found.

Data Provider System Provides Found Opaque Identifier to MatchingSystem.

If a DP opaque identifier is found to be associated with the DP useraccount 234, then the found DP opaque identifier is provided to thematching system 236.

Matching System Receives, Links/Stores the Two Opaque Identifiers.

The requested DP opaque identifier is received by the matching system,and a link is created and stored associating the received DP opaqueidentifier and corresponding DC opaque identifier 238. To create andstore the link, the matching system associates the received DP opaqueidentifier with the DC opaque identifier that was received by matchingsystem at step 218. In one embodiment, the link associating the twoopaque identifiers also includes a DP system identifier associated withthe data provider system from which the DP opaque identifier wasprovided and a DC system identifier associated with the dataconsolidator system from which the DC opaque identifier was received.Any number of opaque identifiers from any number of systems, DC or DP,may be linked in the manner described above by any number of matchingsystems.

Matching System Receives Request for Data, DC Opaque Identifier and DPIdentifier from DC System, Authenticates.

A request for data is received by the matching system from a dataconsolidator system, and the data consolidator system and the matchingsystem are authenticated to one another 240. In one embodiment, therequest for data received from the data consolidator system may includethe DC opaque identifier for a DC user account, as well as the DP systemidentifier for a specific data provider system from which the data isdesired.

In one embodiment, the data consolidator system from which the requestfor data is received may be authenticated to the matching systemreceiving the request using a conventional system authentication method,such as a key or certificate exchange. The data consolidator system maybe authenticated to the matching system any number of times, and thedata consolidator system may be authenticated to the matching system atany time. The data consolidator system may be authenticated to thematching system when data is being requested or when data is not beingrequested. In one embodiment, the matching system may be reciprocallyauthenticated to the data consolidator system in a similar manner.Authentication may be performed periodically, such as once per day.

In one embodiment, the matching system may receive a request for datawhen a user logs into a data consolidator system or when the usermanually makes a request for data to the data consolidator system, orthe matching system may receive a request for data at specified timesduring the day, or at regular intervals with parameters provided by auser or a data consolidator system, or the matching system may receive arequest for data at any time. The matching system may receive any numberof requests for data from any number of data consolidator systems at anytime.

Matching System Identifies Linked DP Opaque Identifier, AuthenticatesItself to Data Provider System, Sends Request for Data with DP OpaqueIdentifier.

The DP opaque identifier that is linked with the received DC opaqueidentifier is located by the matching system from among the linkscreated as described above, the matching system is authenticated to thedata provider system corresponding to the received DP system identifier,and a MS request for data is sent from the matching system to theauthenticated data provider system 242. To locate the linked DP opaqueidentifier, the matching system may extract the DP system identifier andDC opaque identifier received from the DP system in the request for datait receives, and identify the DC system either as a result of itspreviously authenticated IP address or from an explicit DC identifiercontained in the data request, and the matching system finds the DPopaque identifier for the DC system specified in the request that hasbeen previously linked to the DC opaque identifier for the DC systemidentifier. If no such linked DP opaque identifier is located by thematching system, the matching system may send an error message to therequesting data consolidator system.

In one embodiment, the matching system and the identified data providersystem may be authenticated to one another in a manner similar to themethod described above by which a matching system and a dataconsolidator system may be authenticated to one another. The matchingsystem and data provider system may be authenticated to one another anynumber of times at any time. In one embodiment, the DP system, matchingsystem or DC system may be considered trusted by either or both othersystems and no authentication is required.

In one embodiment, the MS request for data is sent by the matchingsystem to the optionally authenticated data provider system specified inthe received request, and the MS request for data may include the linkedDP opaque identifier corresponding to the received DC opaque identifierdescribed above and the identifier of the DC system from which therequest was received as described above. The method continues at step250 of FIG. 2B.

Data Provider System Logs Date/Time and Request, Provides Changed Data.

Referring now to FIG. 2B of FIG. 2, the MS request for data is receivedby the data provider system, the MS request is recorded in a MS requestlog with the date and time of the request, and any changed data isidentified and provided to the matching system by the data providersystem 250. In one embodiment, the request for data may be received by adata provider system from a matching system that has been authenticatedto the data provider system, as described above.

An MS request log at the data provider system may include the date andtime of every MS request for data, along with a requester identifier forthe system from which the request is received. In one embodiment, therequester identifier may be an identifier for the data consolidatorsystem requesting the data contained in the MS request for data.

Changed data corresponding to a DP user account corresponding to the DPopaque identifier received in the MS request for data is identified bythe data provider system as information regarding transactions or theaccount that has been added, deleted, or altered since the last MSrequest for data was received from the same requester for that DP opaqueidentifier or since the date and time specified in the MS request fordata. In one embodiment, the changed data corresponding to a DP useraccount that is provided to one matching system, may or may not be thesame as the changed data identified and provided to a differentrequester for the same account.

If the user no longer has access to one or more accounts to which theuser formerly had access, the data for those accounts for which accessis no longer allowed will not be provided, or will not be provided as ofthe date and time access was revoked, as part of step 250. If the usercorresponding to the opaque user identifier is granted access to anaccount to which access was not allowed by that user when any priorrequest for that user was received, the data for the account since thedate and time access was granted to the user, or all transaction datafor that account, is provided as part of step 250.

Matching System Receives, Forwards DP Response to DC System.

The matching system receives the changed data requested from the dataprovider system and forwards the changed data to the requesting DCsystem as a response to its request 252.

DC System Displays Data to User.

The data consolidator system receives the changed data from the matchingsystem and displays relevant data to the user 254. In one embodiment,relevant data to be displayed may be determined by the data consolidatorsystem, or by the DC system user, or by both the data consolidatorsystem and the DC system user, or by some other system or systems.

User Uses Displayed Data to Make Investment Decisions.

The data displayed by the data consolidator system is used by the DCuser to make investment decisions 256. In one embodiment, the datadisplayed by the data consolidator system may be used to make investmentdecisions, or decisions not related to investments, or any decisions.

Thief Steals Opaque Identifier from Matching System or Source.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of defending againstidentity theft according to one embodiment of the present invention.Referring now to FIG. 3, an opaque identifier is stolen 310 from amatching system or a source system. The stolen opaque identifier may bea DC opaque identifier taken from a data consolidator system or it maybe a DP opaque identifier taken from a data provider system, or it maybe an any opaque identifier taken from a matching system. In oneembodiment, additional information corresponding to the stolen opaqueidentifier may also be stolen, such as a password, or other useridentifier information stored in association with the stolen opaqueidentifier at the source system.

Thief Attempts to Login to Source Using Opaque Identifier, Password.

An attempt is made 312 to login to a source system using the stolenopaque identifier, optionally along with a password or other informationstolen in association with the stolen opaque identifier. In oneembodiment, the attempt to login may be made manually, or it may be madeby an automated system, and any number of login attempts may be made atone or more source systems.

Access to Source System with Opaque Identifier is Denied.

The attempt to login to the source system using an opaque identifier isdenied 314. In one embodiment, an opaque identifier generated by a dataconsolidator system or a data provider system may not be used to loginat the system that generated the opaque identifier or at any othersystem.

System.

FIG. 4 is a block schematic diagram of a system for requestinginformation stored in an account on one computer system from a differentcomputer system without providing an identifier that can be used to loginto the account according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In one embodiment, the system contains any number of data consolidatorsystems 410, a matching system 412 and any number of data providersystems 414, though other arrangements may be used. Data consolidatorsystems 410 and data provider systems 414 operate as described herein,and communicate with matching system 412 via network 416, which mayinclude a conventional Ethernet network, the Internet or both.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a representative data consolidator system 410,matching system 412 and data provider system 414 are shown in moredetail according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Each system 410, 412 and 414 includes a respective communicationinterface 522, 536, 568, each of which may include a conventionalcommunication interface running suitable communication protocols, suchas Ethernet, TCP/IP or both. In one embodiment, unless otherwise notedherein, all communication with each of the systems 410, 412 and 414 aremade via its respective input/output 524, 538, 570 of its respectivecommunication interface 522, 536, 568.

A user registers with the data provider system 410 using a separate usersystem (not shown) that may include a conventional personal computersystem with a conventional browser coupled to the Internet usingsuitable communications techniques. When the user requests a web pagefrom data provider communication interface 568, data providercommunication interface 568 provides the request to data provider logonmanager 558, which builds a web page that allows the user to log in, orto click a link to register, and returns the web page to the user inresponse. The link to register that data provider logon manager 558builds specifies data provider registration manager 550. If the userclicks the link, the user's browser will request a web page from dataprovider registration manager 550.

When it receives the request, data provider registration manager 550builds a web page containing suitable user interface elements that allowthe user to provide the registration information described above andreturns it to the user's browser in response. The user fills out the webpage with the registration information described above and presses asubmit button, which submits the information to data providerregistration manager 550, which validates the information (for examplechecking for a username that is already registered, etc.) and if thevalidation is successful, stores such information into data providerregistration information storage 552.

The user may log in to data provider log in manager 558 usingconventional techniques and click on a link to receive a web page fromdata provider transaction manager 554 that allows the user to open anaccount. If the user fills out the web page and presses a submit button,the information on the web page the user supplied will be provided todata provider transaction manager 554, which opens the account andstores information regarding the account, including the DP useridentifier, into data provider transaction storage 536, along with atimestamp indicating when the account information was stored, thetimestamp having been obtained from a system clock (not shown).

The user registers with the data consolidator system 414 using theseparate user system (not shown) described above. When the user requestsa web page from data consolidator communication interface 522, dataprovider communication interface 522 provides the request to dataconsolidator logon manager 514, which builds a web page that allows theuser to log in, or to click a link to register, and returns the web pageto the user in response. The link to register at data consolidator logonmanager 514 builds specifies data consolidator registration manager 510.If the user clicks the link, the user's browser will request a web pagefrom data consolidator registration manager 510.

When it receives the request, data consolidator registration manager 510builds a web page containing suitable user interface elements that allowthe user to provide the registration information described above andreturns it to the user's browser in response. The user fills out the webpage with the registration information described above and presses asubmit button, which submits the information to data consolidatorregistration manager 510, which validates the information (for examplechecking for a username that is already registered, etc.) and if thevalidation is successful, stores such information into data consolidatorregistration information storage 512.

The user may log into data consolidator log in manager 514 usingconventional techniques and click on a link to receive a web page fromdata consolidator setup manager 518 that allows the user to request alink be established between the user's data consolidator account and oneor more accounts that the user may have at any data provider system 414.If the user fills out the web page and presses a submit button, theinformation on the web page the user supplied will be provided to dataconsolidator setup manager 518. In one embodiment, the data consolidatorsetup manager 518 may receive link request information from the userwhich includes a data provider (DP) user identifier corresponding to thedata provider account that the user wishes to link, and a DP systemidentifier corresponding to the data provider system that providesaccess to the requested account.

When data consolidator setup manager 518 receives the link requestinformation, data consolidator setup manager 518 identifies any DCopaque identifier stored in association with the user's DC useridentifier in data consolidator registration information storage 512. Ifno DC opaque identifier is found, data consolidator setup manager 518generates a unique DC opaque identifier for the account and stores thegenerated DC opaque identifier associated with the user accountinformation in data consolidator registration information storage 512.

In-Band Authentication.

In one embodiment, when data consolidator setup manager 518 hasidentified or generated a DC opaque identifier, it causes the user'sbrowser to spawn a new window. In one embodiment, the new windowcontains: A) a web page built by data consolidator setup manager 518that contains user interface elements allowing the user to specify theuser's username and password on the data provider system correspondingto the request and a submit button that will submit such information tomatching system setup manager 530, as well as B) the identifiers of thedata provider system and the data consolidator systems corresponding tothe request. In one embodiment, instead of spawning such a page, itredirects the user to request a web page from matching system setupmanager 530 that contains such user interface elements and a submitbutton as described above, with the request specifying the identifiersof the data provider system and the data consolidator system.

If matching system setup manager 534 receives the request for a webpage, matching system setup manager 534 provides the web page asdescribed above, optionally using the table described above that isstored in matching system setup storage 532. Matching system setupmanager 534 receives the response or, in the case of the web pagegenerated by data consolidator setup manager 518, receives the contentsof the user interface elements and the identifiers, and provides theusername and password as part of a DP setup request to data providersetup manager 560 of the identified data provider system, optionallyencrypting the username and password using the public key of the dataprovider system.

When data provider setup manager 560 receives the DP setup request frommatching system setup manager 534, data provider setup manager 560 sendsan authentication request with the DP user identifier and passwordreceived with the DP setup request to data provider authorizationmanager 562.

When data provider authorization manager 562 receives the authenticationrequest, data provider authorization manager 562 attempts toauthenticate the username and password using conventional techniques bylocating the username in data provider registration information storage552 and comparing the password stored for that user with the onereceived. If the information received is authenticated, data providerauthorization manager 562 sends an authentication verification messageto data provider setup manager 560. In one embodiment, data providerauthorization manager 562 sends the authentication verification with theDP user identifier corresponding to the DP user that was authenticated.

Out of Band Authentication.

In another embodiment, when data consolidator setup manager 518 hasidentified or generated a DC opaque identifier, data consolidator setupmanager 518 sends the DC opaque identifier, along with the received DPsystem identifier and the user's DP user identifier, to matching systemdata request manager 534 as a DC setup request.

When matching system data request manager 534 receives a DC setuprequest, it identifies the request as a DC setup request and sends theDC setup request, with all the information it has received with the DCsetup request except the DC system identifier, to matching system setupmanager 530. In one embodiment, matching system data request manager 534identifies the request as a DC setup request by a DC setup requestheader included with the request or some other header or indicationreceived with the request.

When matching system setup manager 534 receives a DC setup request,matching system setup manager 534 identifies the data provider systemassociated with the DP system identifier received with the DC setuprequest, and sends a DP setup request to data provider setup manager 560of the identified data provider system.

When data provider setup manager 560 receives the DP setup request frommatching system setup manager 534, data provider setup manager 560 sendsan authentication request with the DP user identifier received with theDP setup request to data provider authorization manager 562.

When data provider authorization manager 562 receives the authenticationrequest, data provider authorization manager 562 attempts toauthenticate the user by sending a message to the user according to theout-of-band method of authentication previously provided by the user, asdescribed in the method above. In one embodiment, data providerauthorization manager 562 retrieves out-of-band authenticationinformation corresponding to the received DP user identifier, and thatwas previously stored in data provider registration information storage552, as described above. Out-of-band authentication information mayinclude the method previously chosen by the user for out-of-bandauthentication, such as by phone call, text message or email, as well asthe information used to communicate via such methods, such as the user'sphone number or email address.

Data provider authorization manager 562 waits to receive a response fromthe user as described above. If data provider authorization manager 562does not receive authentication information from the user, in the mannerdescribed above, then data provider authorization manager 562 sends anerror message to the requesting matching system setup manager 530 whichsends an error message to the requesting data consolidator setup manager518. In one embodiment, when data consolidator setup manager 518receives the error message from matching system setup manager 530, dataconsolidator setup manager 518 provides the error message information todata consolidator user interface manager 516, which displays an errormessage to the data consolidator system user.

If data provider authorization manager 562 receives authenticationinformation from the user, and such information is authenticated in themanner described above, then data provider authorization manager 562sends an authentication verification message to data provider setupmanager 560. In one embodiment, data provider authorization manager 562sends the authentication verification with the DP user identifiercorresponding to the DP user that was authenticated.

Locate or Generate Opaque Identifier and Provide it.

When data provider setup manager 560 receives the requestedauthentication verification from data provider authorization manager562, data provider setup manager 560 attempts to locate a DP opaqueidentifier corresponding to the DP account identifier in data providertransaction information storage 566. If no such DP opaque identifier isidentified, data provider setup manager 560 generates a unique DP opaqueidentifier for the DP user account, stores the generated DP opaqueidentifier with the DP user identifier in data provider transactioninformation storage 556, and provides the generated DP opaque identifierto matching system setup manager 530.

If data provider setup manager 560 identifies a DP opaque identifiercorresponding to the DP user identifier that has been previously storedin data provider transaction information storage 556, as describedabove, data provider setup manager 560 provides the located DP opaqueidentifier to matching system setup manager 530.

When matching system setup manager 530 receives the requested DP opaqueidentifier from data provider setup manager 560, matching system setupmanager 530 stores the DC opaque identifier received with the DC setuprequest, as described above, the DC system identifier corresponding tothe data consolidator system from which the DC setup request wasreceived, the DP opaque identifier requested and received from the dataprovider system, as described above, and the DP system identifiercorresponding to the system from which it received the requested DPopaque identifier into matching system setup storage 532. In oneembodiment, matching system setup manager 530 also sends a confirmationmessage to the data consolidator setup manager 518 from which the DCsetup request was received above, and the confirmation message mayinclude the DC opaque identifier received by matching system setupmanager 530 with the DC setup request. Data consolidator system manager518 stores the DP system identifier corresponding to the DC setuprequest with the user's registration information in data consolidatorregistration information storage 512.

Sending a Data Request.

In one embodiment, data consolidator request manager 520 sends a DC datarequest to matching system data request manager 534 when the user logsinto his account, or when prompted by a user, such as when a user fillsout a web page and presses a data request button, which submits the datarequest information to data consolidator request manager 520. In oneembodiment, data consolidator request manager 520 may send a DC datarequest at set times each day or throughout the day, or dataconsolidator request manager 520 may send a DC data request at any time.

In the embodiment in which data consolidator request manager 520 sends arequest when the user logs in, when the user is authenticated by dataconsolidator login manager 514, data consolidator login manager 514provides the identifier of the user to data consolidator request manager520. In the embodiment in which data consolidator request manager 520sends a request when prompted by the user, data consolidator loginmanager 514 provides a user interface after it authenticates the userthat includes a user interface control such as a button or link thatallows the user to request data to be retrieved. If the user operatesthe user interface control, data consolidator login manager 514 providesthe user identifier of that user to data consolidator request manager520. In the embodiment in which data retrieval is scheduled, dataconsolidator request manager 520 sets a timer in the operating systemand when the timer goes off, data consolidator request manager 520selects the users that have an opaque user identifier stored in dataconsolidator registration information storage 512 one at a time andprocesses them as described below.

When it receives a user identifier or selects a user identifier, dataconsolidator request manager 520 retrieves each data provider systemidentifier stored associated with the user in data consolidatorregistration information storage 512 and retrieves the data for eachsuch data provider using the data provider system identifier and theopaque user identifier as will now be described.

Data consolidator data request manager 520 sends a DC data request as arequest for data corresponding to a specific data provider account froma specific data provider system to matching system data request manager534. In one embodiment, data consolidator request manager 520 sends theDC data request with the DC opaque identifier that corresponds to the DCuser account for which the data is being requested and a DP systemidentifier for the data provider system from which the information isbeing requested.

In one embodiment, data consolidator data request manager 520 stores thedate, time and DP system identifier into DC account storage 524associated with the user identifier on the data consolidator system towhich the request corresponds. In this embodiment, the data consolidatordata request manager 520 first retrieves from DC account storage 524 thedate and time of the last fulfilled DC data request for that useridentifier to that DP system identifier and includes such information inthe request.

When matching system data request manager 534 receives the DC datarequest, matching system data request manager 534 optionallyauthenticates the data consolidator data request manager 520, asdescribed above, and identifies the DP opaque identifier previouslylinked to the received DC opaque identifier, as described above. In oneembodiment, matching system data request manager 534 locates the DPopaque identifier that has been previously stored in association withthe received DC opaque identifier, along with the system identifiers forthe requesting DC system and requested DP system, in matching systemsetup storage 532 in the manner described above.

When matching system data request manager 534 has identified the linkedDP opaque identifier, it optionally authenticates itself to the dataprovider system specified in the DC data request by the DP systemidentifier, and sends a DP data request (referred to above as a MSrequest for data), including the linked DP opaque identifier it hasretrieved from matching system setup storage 532, and the DC systemidentifier corresponding to the data consolidator system from which itreceived the DC data request, to data provider data request manager 564.

When data provider data request manager 564 receives a DP data requestfrom matching system data request manager 534, data provider datarequest manager 564 logs the time and date of the DP data request indata provider data request storage 566 and provides changed datacorresponding to the DP data request to matching system data requestmanager 534. To provide changed data corresponding to the DP datarequest to matching system data request manager 564, data provider datarequest manager 564 retrieves the DP user identifier that corresponds tothe received DP opaque identifier from data provider transactioninformation storage 556. Data provider data request manager 564 thenretrieves from data provider data request storage 566 the date and timeof any previous DP data request received for the DP user accountcorresponding to the retrieved DP user identifier, as well as the DCopaque identifier that was received with the DP data request.

Using the date and time of the last DP data request retrieved above, aswell as the retrieved DP user identifier, data provider data requestmanager 564 retrieves changed data corresponding to the identified DPuser account as account and transaction information recorded in dataprovider transaction information storage 566 that corresponds to theretrieved DP user identifier and has been recorded, as described above,with a date and time which is after the date and time of the last DPdata request for the identified DP user account, logged into dataprovider data request storage 566, as described below.

In one embodiment, if no previous DP data request has been logged intodata provider data request storage 566 for the specified DP user accountfrom the specified data consolidator system, data provider data requestmanager 564 provides all account and transaction informationcorresponding to the DP user identifier stored in data providertransaction information storage 556 to matching system data requestmanager 534, and optionally logs the date and time of the DP datarequest in the DP request log along with the corresponding DP useridentifier and the DC system identifier for the requesting dataconsolidator account into data provider data request storage 566.

In one embodiment, data provider data request manager 564 retrieves thechanged data corresponding to the identified DP user account andprovides the changed data to matching system data request manager 534along with the DP opaque identifier and DC system identifier itinitially received from matching system data request manager 534 withthe DP data request, and data provider data request manager 564 updatesthe DP request log for the identified DP user account with the new dateand time of the latest DP data request from the specified dataconsolidator account in data provider data request storage 566. Thechanged data is the data since the date and time specified in therequest or since the date and time logged in data provider requeststorage 566.

In one embodiment, if the user no longer has access to one or moreaccounts to which the user formerly had access, the data for thoseaccounts for which access is no longer allowed will not be provided, orwill not be provided as of the date and time access was revoked, by dataprovider data request manager 564. If the user corresponding to theopaque user identifier is granted access to an account to which accesswas not allowed by that user when any prior request for that user wasreceived, the data for the account since the date and time access wasgranted to the user, or all transaction data for that account, isprovided, by data provider data request manager 564.

When matching system data request manager 534 receives the requestedchanged data from data provider data request manager 564, matchingsystem data request manager 534 forwards such data from data providerdata request manager 564 to the requesting data consolidator datarequest manager 520 in response to the original DC data request.

When data consolidator data request manager 520 receives the requesteddata response from matching system data request manager 534, dataconsolidator data request manager 520 stores it into data consolidatoraccount storage 524 associated with the user DC user identifier, marksthe request date and time stored in DC account storage 524 as fulfilled,and signals data consolidator user interface manager 516 with the DCuser identifier. In one embodiment, data consolidator data requestmanager 520 may time stamp the data it stores into data consolidatoraccount storage 524 to allow data consolidator user interface manager516 to identify newly received data.

When so signaled, data consolidator user interface manager 516 displaysdata to the user. In one embodiment, data consolidator user interfacemanager 516 builds a web page to display data to the user.

The user may use data that has been displayed by data consolidator userinterface manager 516 to make various decisions, such as investmentdecisions.

If a thief acquires an opaque identifier, for example a DC opaqueidentifier or a DP opaque identifier that has been stolen from matchingsystem setup storage 532, the thief may attempt to log in to a useraccount using the stolen opaque identifier. In one embodiment, the thiefmay use a stolen DC opaque identifier to attempt to log in with dataconsolidator log in manager 514, or the thief may use a stolen DP opaqueidentifier to attempt to log in with data provider log in manager 558,or the thief may use any DC or DP opaque identifier to attempt to log into data consolidator log in manager 514 or data provider log in manager558. For example, if the thief acquires a DC opaque identifier that hasbeen previously generated by data consolidator setup manager 518, in themanner described above, and stored in matching system setup storage 534by matching system setup manager 530, in the manner described above, thethief may attempt to log in to data consolidator log in manager 514using the stolen DC opaque identifier.

In one embodiment, the thief may also acquire and attempt to use apassword corresponding to the account that is associated with the opaqueidentifier, or additional information corresponding to the opaqueidentifier that is mistaken for a password.

If the thief attempts to log in to data consolidator log in manager 514or data provider log in manager 558 with the opaque identifier, the login attempt will be denied by them. In one embodiment, an opaqueidentifier generated by data consolidator setup manager 518 or dataprovider setup manager 560 is not recognized by data consolidator log inmanager 514 or data provider log in manager 558 as a correct username,even if the opaque identifier is an opaque identifier generated by thesource system at which the thief is attempting to log in.

In one embodiment, the user may log in to data consolidator log inmanager 514 or data provider log in manager 558 at any time using theusername and password previously established, as described above, andsuch attempts to log in to the data consolidator system 410 or dataprovider system 414 will be allowed if the user properly authenticateshimself or herself. The properly authenticated user may view anytransaction data, as well as initiate transactions if at the dataprovider system, and change data provider accounts linked with the userdata consolidator account if at the data consolidator system, and allother functions available to the user at either system at any time.

As used herein, an “account” may be one or more accounts containinginformation to which a user is allowed access. The user may be anadvisor who has access to information in several accounts that haveassets owned by one or more users the advisor serves in an advisorycapacity.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of transferring data from a firstaccount at a first computer system to a second account at a secondcomputer system, the method comprising: receiving at a third computersystem, separate from at least one of the first computer system and thesecond computer system, as part of a first request to arrange at leastone transfer of the data from the first account to the second account, afirst identifier that uniquely identifies a user of the second account;receiving at the first computer system a second request to arrange atleast one transfer of the data from the first computer system, saidrequest comprising a second identifier, identifying a user of the firstaccount at the first computer system; responsive to the second request,authenticating the user of the first account at the first computersystem by the first computer system, responsive to the second identifierreceived as part of the second request; responsive to the authenticatingstep and to the second request received, providing from the firstcomputer system to the third computer system a third identifier thatuniquely identifies the user of the first account but is not required bya user of the first computer system to log in as that user; storing onthe third computer system the first identifier, associated with thethird identifier; receiving at the third computer system from the secondcomputer system a request to transfer the data from the first account tothe second account, said request comprising the first identifier; at thethird computer system, locating the third identifier responsive to thefirst identifier received; providing from the third computer system tothe first computer system the third identifier; responsive to the thirdidentifier, providing from the first computer system to the thirdcomputer system, the data from the first account corresponding to therequest to transfer the data; and sending from the third computer systemto the second computer system the data received from the first computersystem.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein: the first request to arrangeat least one transfer of the data is received from a fourth computersystem, separate from the first, second and third computer systems, viaa web page supplied at least in part by the second computer system; thefirst request includes the second identifier; and the second request isreceived from the third computer system.
 3. The method of claim 1wherein the first computer system and the second computer system areparts of a same computer system operated for a single entity.
 4. Asystem for transferring data from a first account at a first computersystem to a second account at a second computer system, the systemcomprising: a data provider setup manager at the first computer system,the data provider setup manager having an input for receiving a firstrequest to arrange at least one transfer of the data from the firstcomputer system, the first request comprising a first identifier of auser of the first account at the first computer system, the dataprovider setup manager for providing at an output the first identifier;a data provider authorization manager at the first computer system,having an input coupled to the data provider setup manager output forreceiving the first identifier, the data provider authorization managerfor authenticating, via an input/output, the user of the first accountat the first computer system responsive to the first identifierreceived, and for providing at an output an indication of whether theauthentication succeeded; wherein the data provider setup manager inputis additionally coupled to the data provider authorization manageroutput for receiving the indication, the data provider setup manageradditionally for, responsive to the indication and to the first requestreceived, providing at the data provider setup manager output a secondidentifier that uniquely identifies the user of the first account; thesystem additionally comprising: a matching system setup managercomprising a computer processor at a third computer system, separatefrom at least one of the first computer system and the second computersystem, the matching system setup manager having an input for receivingas part of a second request to arrange at least one transfer of the datafrom the first account to the second account, a third identifier thatuniquely identifies a user of the second account but is not required bya user of the second computer system to log in as that user on thesecond computer system, and coupled to the data provider setup manageroutput for receiving the second identifier, the matching system setupmanager for providing at an output coupled to a computer storage device,the third identifier, associated with the second identifier; a matchingsystem data request manager at the third computer system having an inputcoupled to the second computer system for receiving a request totransfer the data from the first account to the second account, saidrequest comprising the third identifier, and an input/output coupled tothe computer storage device, the matching system data request manager,for locating the second identifier, responsive to the third identifierreceived, and for providing at an output the second identifier; and adata provider data request manager at the first computer system havingan input coupled to the matching system data request manager output, forreceiving the second identifier, the data provider data request managerfor providing at an output the data from the first account correspondingto the second identifier; and wherein the matching system data requestmanager input is additionally coupled to the data provider data requestmanager output for receiving the data from the first account, and thematching system data request manager is additionally for sending via thematching system data request manager output the data received at thematching system data request manager input to the second computersystem.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein: the matching system setupmanager receives the second request to arrange at least one transfer ofthe data from a fourth computer system, separate from the first, secondand third computer systems, via a web page supplied at least in part bythe second computer system; and the second request includes the firstidentifier; and the first request is received from the third computersystem.
 6. The system of claim 4 wherein the first computer system andthe second computer system are parts of a same computer system andoperated for a single entity.
 7. A computer program product comprising anon-transitory computer useable medium having computer readable programcode embodied therein for transferring data from a first account at afirst computer system to a second account at a second computer system,the computer program product comprising computer readable program codedevices configured to cause a computer system to: receive at a thirdcomputer system, separate from at least one of the first computer systemand the second computer system, as part of a first request to arrange atleast one transfer of the data from the first account to the secondaccount, a first identifier that uniquely identifies a user of thesecond account; receive at the first computer system a second request toarrange at least one transfer of the data from the first computersystem, said request comprising a second identifier, identifying a userof the first account at the first computer system; responsive to thesecond request, authenticate the user of the first account at the firstcomputer system by the first computer system, responsive to the secondidentifier received as part of the second request; responsive to thecomputer readable program code devices configured to cause the computersystem to authenticate and to the second request received, provide fromthe first computer system to the third computer system a thirdidentifier that uniquely identifies the user of the first account but isnot required by a user of the first computer system to log in as thatuser; store on the third computer system the first identifier,associated with the third identifier; receive at the third computersystem from the second computer system a request to transfer the datafrom the first account to the second account, said request comprisingthe first identifier; at the third computer system, locate the thirdidentifier responsive to the first identifier; provide from the thirdcomputer system to the first computer system the third identifier;responsive to the third identifier, provide from the first computersystem to the third computer system, the data from the first accountcorresponding to the request to transfer the data; and send from thethird computer system to the second computer system the data receivedfrom the first computer system.
 8. The computer program product of claim7, wherein: the first request to arrange at least one transfer of thedata is received from a fourth computer system, separate from the first,second and third computer systems, via a web page supplied at least inpart by the second computer system; the first request includes thesecond identifier; and the second request is received from the thirdcomputer system.
 9. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein thefirst computer system and the second computer system are parts of a samecomputer system operated for a single entity.